Celebrity Weight Loss Special

Last night, in all of my couch-potato glory, I watched the ABC block of sitcoms, and instead of turning the channel at 10p, the next show: PRIMETIME: CELEBRITY WEIGHT LOSS – WHAT REALLY HAPPENS caught my attention. I was confused by the promos, because it seemed like they were glorifying scary weight-loss trends… they couldn’t possibly, could they?

Since I had recently experienced some weight loss myself, and had witnessed a loved one suffer through an eating disorder for years, there was no way I could possibly turn the channel. I watched the entire hour in disgust, occasionally screaming at the warped images & commentary on my television-screen.

The hour I watched wasn’t remotely educational, and yet, they didn’t address the severe consequences of what could happen if someone followed one of the extreme diets the celebs were promoting. I never thought I’d say this, but I do give props to Kendra (yeah, that Kendra) for a fairly revealing look at how much her magazine cover was touched up post-baby. We all know this, but for some reason, we see covers like that, and all we think about is “How did she do it?!” instead of “how much did she *really* lose, and why are magazines making me believe something that isn’t true, and only making me feel like shit?!?”

Why didn’t Primetime make an effort to emphasize the fact that weight-loss will not happen overnight? Hell, it won’t happen in one month’s time! We buy into the media’s warped definition of what’s “beautiful” which, according to the media, is 90% about how many pounds this star weighs instead of noting the amazing talent they posses, or the incredible philanthropy they pass along & inspire, or how great of a parent they are to their kids. I mean, really — how many hours a day do these celebs ignore their kids to spend time with a trainer & personal chef in order to drop the supposed “extra” weight! To me, there is much more to beauty than how much a person weighs, and I don’t believe I’m alone in that thought.

Most of us don’t have the genes that will allow us to ever be a size 4. Like me. I’m a very happy size 12 right now, thank you very much! If I *really* worked my ass off, went vegetarian or something, maybe I could get down to an 8, but what Momma has the time for that?! We need to learn to accept & be happy with who we are and what we look like NOW. If you don’t like it, doing small things to change not only your body, but your mind, is the only way to get to a place of acceptance and happiness. The media’s glorification of starvation diets isn’t going to eliminate the obesity epidemic, it’s going to cause more young men & women to walk down the dangerous road of bulimia & anorexia. And having painfully watched a loved one walk down that dark, lonely road from the side-lines… like weight, eating disorders will not disappear overnight.

People are like stained-glass windows.They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealedonly if there is a light from within.

One Comment

Amen! I think it is absolutely ridiculous when these celebrities come out with their skinny bodies and brag about how they lost it. It is so unrealistic and I guess if I pooped out money and could afford a personal trainer, chef and 5 nannies I would be a size 2 as well. My husband and I are currently on the road to losing weight and it has been difficult but well worth it. Those “people” out in LaLa Land are full of crap:-)

About Me

Keeping up with 2 little girls, writing assignments, music gigs, the house, laundry, ETC, backwards, wearing ass kicking boots and a smile, without spilling my beer. Ok, ok, so I spill my beer, but my floors have never been more germ-free since I started putting a little alcohol on them. Who needs ammonia...